Infosys Dives Most in Two Years As Whistle-Blowers Target CEO
- Allegations have been placed before its Audit Committee
- Infosys’s shares fall as much as 16% in Mumbai in early trade
Infosys Ltd.’s shares plunged to a 10-month low after whistle-blowers accused Chief Executive Officer Salil Parekh of leading an effort to shore up profits through irregular accounting, turning up the heat on an IT services giant that endured internal turmoil just two years ago.
The stock fell as much as 16% Tuesday, wiping out 2019’s gains via its biggest intraday fall since April 2013. The letter, addressed to the board and published by the Deccan Herald, charged Parekh with “unethical practices” to boost revenues and profit in recent quarters, anonymous whistle-blowers wrote in a memo titled “Disturbing unethical practices.” The whistle-blowers also said recent big deal wins may have come with negligible margins. They asked the board to investigate and take action, offering to provide emails and voice recordings to support their allegations.